Cushioning device for vehicles.



J. H. CLUNE. `AJSHIOBNG DEVCE POR VEHICLES, APPLIGA'rwN MLLD AUG.3 ),1913.

1,106,496. Patented Aug. 11, 1914L fran sra-'frias PATENT ormoni.,

JOHN Grimm, 0F srRlNGFIELD, MAssAcHiIsETTs.

CUSHIONING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Application tiled August 30. 1913.

Patented Aug. 1'1, '1914. Serial No. 787,472.

Devices for Vehicles, of which the following is. a specification. v e

This invention relates to improvements in road Vvehicles and particularly to cushion` ing devices for automobiles. The invention is designed for the purpose of lessening the shock between the road-bed and the vehicle body.

.llerctofortg in this class of vehicles, the usual spring: devices consist generally of springs either elliptical or half elliptical. ln practice, the ordinary spring construction is found to be defective in that it does not eifectually absorb all of the vibrations incidentto travel. Y y

lhe present invention comprises in general a pneumatic cushioning device with yieldable walls that is located between the car bodyl and the. axle. [t is well-known that the elastic properties of air are very sensitive to slight variations in pressure as this is demonstrated on the ordinary pneumatic. tire in comparison with the solider cushion tires. By combining a pneumatic cushion with the pncun-iat'ic.tir-es,-a veryeffective cushioning device .for automobiles is produced.

The invention further comprises means to permit the air to readily flou' from one end vof the cushioning device to the other during the travel of the vehicle, and this broadly accomplished by prm-'idingv a relief chamber with connections having ditt'erent'sizes and which cxtcud'therefron'i to the cushv inningr device.

Referring to the drawings:-

liigure 1 is an end elevation of a. portion of the. vehicle, body and showin;r one of the wheels in outline, also illustratingr the pneumatic. cushioning device bctncen the body and the axle. Fig. 2 is'an nd elevational `vicu/ showing` two of the cushioning devicesl and the `inaimer of their attachn'ientto the vehicle` body and the axle, also means to automatically retain the device. in place.

Referring; to the drawings in detail, l designates in general. the car body and 2 the axle tht-root'. 'lhc supporting wheels are cimvcutiallv indicati-i al.

4 indicates the cushioning device prefer; ably composed of some elastic nurterial, as rubberized cloth. arc-shaped. In order to retain this device in place,- Va. .pair of downwardly extending' brackets 5 and 6 is attached to the undec-k side of the carl body, and extend'im;` at an angle thereto. Their lower ends are'formed with curved seat portions, the curvatureof which corresponds with the 'outside curva"- ture of the cushioning devicei Attached to the axle is a pair of upwardly extending bracket-s 7 and 8, in the direction' oft'tlief brackets o and 6, their upper ends"'being formed with curved seat-portions 9 in whi'clv rests the cushioninf.r device 4. The inner ends ot the brackets 5, 6, 7, and S are spaced from each other a suitable distance, whereby when the cushioning device is compressed, they will not,v directly engage eachother.

1() designates an equalizing chamber having a connuunication indicated at 11, with the middle portion ot the cushioning device l. 'lhc opposite end of this equalizing chamber is connected by ingans' of the tubes 1'.) and lil with the opposite ends of the cushioning;r device 4,' as shown, and it should be .stated that the size Vof the opening throng-h the tubes 12 and llis very milch .smaller than the opening indicated in the connection 11. The purpose of making these connections 11, 12, and t3 of different-sizes is to permit. the air to gradually flow from one end of the cushioningr device 4 ythrough thc tantalizing chamber l() to the central portion ot the cushionin,r device or, in other words, to obtain a wire drawing etfect Vof the air when pressure is imparted to cushioning device. 'lhis construction ierniits the air to gradually How from eillicr end of the cushioning device to the central portion in order to gradually compensate for any sudden jolt's or pressure that may be exerted by the vehicle or axle on the cushion device 4. `Shonld a sudden jolt or shock be transmitted from the axle 2 to the bracketsl 7 or S, the device 4 will be suddenly con'ipfcsscd, and

A'theair adjacent the beul-ing port ions l) will .suddenly compress the. air n the.cushioning device and cause it to llow through either one of the pipes l2 and 13 to thc canali/.ing chamber l() and from there through the cnlarged opening 11 to the central.portion thereof.

[n orde-r torctain the brackets 5, (i, 7, and

The device as shown is 8 in their normal position, and, also to retain the body portion 1 in its normal relation with the axle 2, a connection 14 extends from the upper pair of brackets to the axle. A spring 15 is preferably interposed in this connection to permit the brackets to readily follow any up and. down motion as well as any lateral motion of the axle.

" eferring to Fig. 1, it will be noticed that the brackets 5, 6, 7, and 8 will permit the vehicle body 1 to have fore and aft motion on the cushioning device '4 by reason of the curved shape of the portions 7 and 9.

What I claim iS:-

l. In a cushioniner device for vehicles, the combination with t e body portion thereof, of a pneumatic member located between said body and the axle of the vehicle, retaining means for the member comprising brackets,l having. their inner ends spaced from each other to receive the {meumatic member, an equalizing chamber having` communication with the central and end portions of the pneumatic member', whereby, when a sudden pressure, is communicated to the pneumatic device, a flow of air will take place between the ends and the central described.

2. In a cushioning device for road vehicles the combination, a iexible pneumatic member located between the body and the axle of the vehicle, means to support said member to permit the body to move fore and aft, an equalizing chamber, means to connect the opposite ends of the pneumatic member withv one side ot the equaliringr chamber, means to connect the opposite side of the equalizing chamber with the central portion of the pneumatic member, the area of the first comn'lunieation being smaller than the area of the second described communicatint,r means, whereby, when a sudden pressure imparted to the ilexible pneumatic member the air in said member will gradually 'iow vto the equalizingiV chamber and from there back into the pneumatic member in order to restore the equilibrium of the air in Said member, zu; described.

JOHN Il. CIJUNN.

portion thereof, as

Witnesses Eni'rlt M. lo'r'rnn, CAROLINE WV. lVILLis. 

